The New York Knicks will host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game of their 2025-26 NBA seasons on Wednesday night. These are expected to be the top two teams in the Eastern Conference this season and this game will be a nice early litmus test for both sides. Before the action begins at Madison Square Garden, continue reading to get my Cavaliers vs Knicks prediction for tonight.
Our Cavaliers vs Knicks Pick
- Pick: Cavaliers -1.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks
- Date & Time: Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- Broadcast: ESPN
Cavaliers vs Knicks Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Cavaliers −1.5 | Cavaliers -125 / Knicks +105 | 228.5 points |
Key Storylines
The Cavaliers enter the season coming off a dominant 64‑18 regular season last year. They have an elite offense, having averaged 121.9 points per game in the 2024‑25 season. The focal point will again be Donovan Mitchell. He averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists last season and appears motivated after last year’s postseason exit.
Cleveland will be without starting guard Darius Garland and sharpshooter Max Strus. We could see Lonzo Ball start at point guard in Garland’s place after Ball has missed so much time in recent seasons due to injury with other teams.
The Knicks come into this season opener also missing some key contributors. Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson are out for this game. Their absences will drastically impact New York’s ability to rebound the basketball on both ends of the floor. Karl‑Anthony Towns is listed as questionable and OG Anunoby as probable. The Knicks will still lean on Jalen Brunson, who averaged 26.0 points and 7.3 assists last season.
This game is the debut of Mike Brown as the head coach of the Knicks. New York fired Tom Thibodeau at the end of last season despite making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. That means a ton of pressure for Brown to perform right away in New York and pressure on the players to make the decision to go with Brown look like a good one.
Head‑to‑Head & Betting Trends
The Cavaliers dominated the regular-season series between these teams last year. Cleveland went 4-0 against the Knicks and they held the Knicks to 105 or fewer points in all of those games. New York will try to break through against Cleveland’s defense here, but they will need to find a way to do so without the ability to generate all of the second chances they are used to with Hart and Robinson out.
Best Player Props to Watch
| Player | Prop to Watch |
|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | Over 24.5 points |
| Evan Mobley (CLE) | Over 8.5 rebounds |
| Jalen Brunson (NYK) | Over 25.5 points |
Cavaliers vs Knicks Model Projection
Score Projection: Cleveland Cavaliers 115 – New York Knicks 110
Win Probability: Cavaliers 57%, Knicks 43%
Final Thoughts
Rebounding should be what ultimately makes the difference in this game. The Knicks are going to be without two players who are so important to what they do on the glass in this game. That is a bad sign against a Cavs team with the duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt. I’ll take the Cavs to win this game and cover the spread to open the season.
